paper boats
by dotRHEA
Summary: - give it some time to float then watch it sink. 18OC


**Ughh… I have to stop getting side-tracked… I whipped up this evil little plot bunny in one week. Writing and editing was somewhat depressing... So yeah, not my best but I don't want to throw it away.**

**BEWARE! OOC HIBARI AND MARY SUE!**

* * *

**… _Age 5 …_**

Erika has a concentrated look on her face as she continues to cut paper with the safety scissors. The sound of kids crying is left unnoticed by her as the teacher continues to (loudly) tell five year old Hibari Kyoya to stop biting his classmates.

She doesn't pay attention to it at first but as she nears the completion of her first small boat, the teacher's scolding quiets down.

'Kyoya-chan is pretty mean…' she thinks to herself as she finishes her first boat.

A chair is pulled out beside her and an obnoxious Kusakabe Tetsuya flops down beside her.

"Ppppsssttt…" he whispers to Erika even though she could hear him loud and clear, "look at that loser."

He nudges his head towards the corner. For a second Erika thought he was twitching.

Kyoya is sitting in the corner, on a colorful chair with his arms crossed and a stubborn pout on his face. The teacher is nowhere in sight.

Giving the young Kusakabe a disapproving frown, she grabs the paper boat and heads over to Kyoya.

He looks up when she approaches, "it wasn't my fault, Seto stole my stuffy." He mutters, hugging a yellow chickey close to his chest.

Erika smiled, "C'mon, I want to show you Kyo-chan something…"

"The teacher said I have to stay here until mommy comes to pick me up." Erika rolls her eyes and drags the young skylark to the empty fish tank.

Kyoya isn't impressed, "it's just a tank of water." Then he notices the paper boat in Erika's hands. "What's that?"

Erika flashes him an innocent 6-year old smile and drops the poorly made boat into the water.

"It's sinking…" came Kyoya's flat response, Erika laughed

"Give it some time to float, silly!"

While waiting, a bored Kusakabe came over to see what the two kids were staring at. Kyoya felt slightly annoyed and grabbed a handful of water and splashed it at the older boy's face.

This caused a chain reaction and a little while later; the three kids were all wet and were scolded at.

The paper boat was bobbing up and down as Erika began giggling as Kusakabe sneezed and Kyoya blankly stared at the two, hugging the stuffy (which amazingly stayed dry) against him.

**_… Age 6 … _**

"There's a dead fish…" little Erika yelps and shots up to meet the bored eyes of Kyoya. She puts the jar of fish food down and nervously asks, "w-where?"

He points at the lifeless fish floating around in the corner and makes a move to grab it. Erika swats his hand away almost immediately and almost cries when he glares at her.

"What?"

"We… we… have to bury it." She sniffs and Kyoya rolls his eyes, "mama says that even fishy have to be remembered when they… they die…"

Erika flinches when Kyoya lefts his hand up—expecting him to slap her or something. She's surprised when he starts patting her head like a puppy.

"You're feeding them too much." He mutters, "No wonder the fish are dying so quickly…"

Nonetheless, the next day the dead fish is buried under the sakura tree in the backyard of the kindergarten and Kyoya comes home with mud in between his fingers.

**_… Age 8 …_**

Erika stared bewildered at her surroundings. Why wouldn't she? It was prettier than her house!

"Mama… the cups have sparkles in them." She said absentmindedly as she was seated on a velvet chair.

"Do you like it, Eri-chan?" Erika nods almost robotically as she checks out the china candy jar on top of the mahogany book case.

"It's such a pleasure to have you as a neighbor, Kotori-san!" the lady across the table squeals in delight, Erika's mother smiles and politely replies.

Erika tunes out the conversation as she pays full attention to the glass ballerina inside the bookshelf. Oh how happy she would be if her daddy got her that for her birthday!

"Kyo-chan! How many times do I have to tell you to take off your shoes before coming in? Oh, I just had Tama clean that!" the lady screams and Erika turns around to see who she was scowling at.

She almost squeals as she sees the beaten up face of her kindergarten playmate.

"Kyo-chan!" she smiles and the skylark looks at her before muttering "herbivore," and takes off his shoes, placing them neatly by the door.

"Oh, Eri-chan, did you already met my darling son?" Erika nods eagerly as Kyoya sits down on the seat beside her.

As Erika goes into a full conversation with Kyoya's mom, she doesn't notice the servant setting up their meal until Kyoya's mom tell them that it was time to eat. Before she started at her food, she started to squeal,

"Kyo-chan! Kyo-chan!"

"What is it, herbivore?"

"There's a Blue Jay on my plate!"

Kyoya could only groan at the thought of Erika seeing his old plastic spoons.

Stupid Doraemon…

**_… Age 12 …_**

"Hibari-san?" Erika raises an eyebrow as the young prefect enters the music room. Even thought she knew him for oh so long, she couldn't believe how much he changed over the years. The rumors of him beating up three seniors and joining a cult still scared her even though she knew it was probably not true.

The skylark doesn't say a thing and lays down on the piano bench.

Erika just sighs but just as she was about to do the finishing touches on the choir's new song, the door slams open to a flustered looking Kusakabe.

"_Iinchou_!" he screams before setting his eyes on a confused Erika, "Oh hello Kotori-san."

The confusion is replaced with the sound of hearty laughter as Erika points a finger at the vice chairman of the Disciplinary Committee.

"Tetsu… ya… y-your… your hair!" she mutters in between giggles, waking up a grumpy Hibari.

When Hibari threatens to bite the girl to death, Erika just falls off her chair and clutches her stomach, laughing harder. Hibari rolls his eyes, discards his tonfas and walks away.

Kusakabe is left with a slightly damaged pride before he follows after the prefect.

… _Age 13 … _

**Valentine's Day**

Erika was less than willing to leave school that day and occasionally would look out the window and mentally scream when she realized that the Disciplinary Committee was still there. She banged her head on the desk as she eyed the box sitting on the side of her desk nervously.

What if he doesn't like it? What if he throws it back at her? What if he already has one! A million thoughts raced through her mind, she didn't even notice how much noise she was making until the door of the music room was thrown open.

"I'd let the unnecessary noise pass but students are to leave Namimori grounds by 5 PM." Erika groaned as the person she least wanted to see whipped out his tonfas.

"You have five seconds, herbivore, before you are-"

Erika quickly grabbed the box and shoved it against Hibari's chest before slipping out behind him and making a break for it.

Curiously he opens the box as he watches the girl's retreating back dash away from his minions. He pulls out a sleek black cell phone just as it begins to ring.

He lets himself smirk as Namimori's anthem fills the music room.

**White Day**

Erika groans as she sinks into her chair, clutching her head, "No, I told you already that the choir isn't responsible for bringing the instruments."

"Then who brings the instruments?" the student council president asks, fixing his glasses, "they gave us a stage already. Why can't we just do our part and bring the instruments?"

"You don't get it do you?" Erika takes a deep breath before continuing, "They provide us with the stage and the instruments. They're supposed to. It's their responsibility not outs. We're just there to sing and represent Namimori Middle."

"I don't get what the big deal is-"

"I am not hauling a 40 ton baby grand piano down the streets of Namimori and up the shrine stairs, ok?" Erika interrupts madly. Fellow members mutter their opinions but no one says anything else other than the student council president.

"Look, if you can't bring the instruments-"

"I'm not going if we have to bring the stupid instruments—nor is my choir."

"b-but Kotori-san-"

"The decision has been made, student council president." All eyes land on Hibari as he coolly continues, "Namimori Middle's choir will not participate in this year's spring festival."

Even with eyes downcast, Erika knew Hibari was looking at her, sometimes she wondered if he could read minds.

"b-but! Hibari-san! It- it's just a couple of instru-" the poor president was stuttering.

"Namimori Middle's choir will not participate." Hibari countered, authority seeping through every word he said, Erika also wondered if he knew how much those words hurt.

The president still didn't give up.

"P-please, Kotori-san! Reconsider! It's just a couple of instu-"

"The choir will not participate if it means we have to do manual labor. Now if you excuse me…" the girl quickly gathered her stuff and ran out the meeting room.

Tears were welling up in her eyes as she sped walked down eh hallways, not caring to say a word of apology to the students she accidently bumped into.

She threw the door to the music room wide open, scaring numerous members of the choir, throwing herself onto the chair in the corner and curled into a ball as members of the choir awkwardly mumbled their excuses and left.

After the last member ran away, Erika got up and stared out the window mutely. Carelessly pushing the stack of paper she had written just for the festival off her desk and into the metal trashcan.

She didn't notice the door sliding open when she started mumbling to herself.

"I wanted to go… I wanted to go… I wanted to go…"

"Kotori Erika…"

"I wanted to go…"

"Kotori Erika." the girl turned around to see a slightly pissed off Hibari, she just stared at him as he approached her.

"Running in the hallways is against school rules. Prepare to be bitten to death…" she didn't budge as he whipped out his tonfas, instead more tears started welling up in her eyes. "But."

He stopped glowering when he was of arms length away from her and lightly tapped her on the head with the metal tonfa. "Not today."

Erika broke into tears then fell onto her knees.

"I really wanted to go to this year's festival b-but I'm scared!" she admitted sadly, "I'm scared of being embarrassed… like... like last year…" her breath was cut short when she felt a hand lightly patting her head. She looked up to see Hibari with a slightly sincere look on his face.

"It's going to be ok…"

Later than night she received two new e-mails in her inbox. One from the student council president begging for forgiveness and sending the right information and the second from Namimori Community League begging her to participate in the festival with her choir.

Call her crazy but the second she heard a motorcycle roaming down the streets, she rushed out the door in nothing but her PJs (which really were just an oversized t-shirt and a pair of her dad's old boxers) and waited barefoot on the sidewalk in front of Hibari's house as he pulled up beside her.

"What do you think you're doing-?"

"Thank you so much, Hibari-san!" she interrupted him quickly and bowed. She looked up at his shocked face and continued, "Thank you so much f-for everything! And… and… I-"

She settled with just hugging him, she was too lost for words anyways (and the cold breeze was finally catching up with her), she almost jumped out of her skins when she felt a pair of arms hug her back.

"Consider it as your White Day present…" she heard him mutter before a loud yet familiar ringtone broke through the silence.

Erika laughs as the voices of the Disciplinary Committee echoes down the driveway.

"You're actually using it?"

"Why not?" he smiles and sends her back home with his leather jacket before he picks up his cell phone and drives off to go back patrolling.

**_… Age 15 …_**

Erika flips her phone to check the time again and impatiently taps her foot. He's late!

"He's not coming, Kotori." A smooth voice calls and Erika looks up eagerly and watches as the prefect takes a seat beside her on the bench. Erika shakes her head,

"No, he's coming, I just know it." The girl says, playing with her black hair while she looks for signs of her runaway boyfriend.

Hibari glances at her timidly and yanks on a strand of her hair, Erika yelps as he coolly replies, "And why the extra effort when the herbivore doesn't even bother to leave its den?"

"Oww! Hibari, stop it! You're going to give me a bald spot! Hiiibarriiii!" she cries, ignoring his question and he quickly lets go when the girl starts getting teary eyed.

An hour later the two are still sitting on the bench in silence and Erika flips open her pone again.

"Hibari." She says after a pout starts to take form on her face. He looks at her and she continues, "Did you beat up Seto-kun?"

"Why would I bother?" came his bored reply.

"Did you?"

"No." Erika breaths a sigh of relief and Hibari looks away.

Half an hour later, Erika shoots up from her seat, startling (even though it wasn't that evident) a napping Hibari.

"What is it, herbivore?" he grumbles as Erika walks away, furiously dialing a number.

Moments later, Erika returns with a red face and her cell phone laying in a heap in the garbage.

"Littering is against the law, herbivore."

"I picked it up."

"So is arson."

"W-what?"

Erika whips around in confusion just as the trashcan she threw her cell phone into explodes in a rather comedic matter. The girl feels like crying on the sight of realizing that maybe just _maybe_ she shouldn't have bought that really cheap yet flammable cell phone.

"Vandalizing now are you, Kotori?" the skylark smirks and whips out his tonfas. "Prepare to be bitten to death."

Erika curses and sprints away as the prefect starts advancing towards her, not much caring about the coincidences of running in high heels.

Minutes later, she's hiding in a tall tree while Hibari looks around, frustrated. She could only hope that Hibari doesn't find her and kick the tree she's in. the girl has her arms wrapped around the tree trunk while she sits criss crossed—it's a wonder how she hasn't fallen off yet. Erika swallows nervously as she sees Hibari walking under the tree she's hiding in.

Please don't look up… please don't look up… please don't look up…

She falls into a quiet panic just as Hibari stops right under the spot she's hiding in.

She shuffles nervously in her spot and the most tarrying thing happens.

Her purse falls and lands straight onto Hibari's head.

Oh, kill me now…

She lets out a loud scream as Hibari's head shoots up at her, he smirks and he mouths the words 'found you.' It was terrifying.

Erika curses and makes a move to swing onto another branch as Hibari launches himself up and lands beside her.

The following was like something from Tarzan—she did find a perfect branch to swing onto and she was about to jump onto it when…

She fell.

Damn Hibari for his ninja skills! Damn stupid Seto! Damn stupid cheap eco friendly cell phone for exploding on her! Damn life!

She wanted to cry again as Hibari gracefully landed in front of her. She wanted to cry as she mentally groaned to herself, why did Hibari have to be so serious about Namimori laws!

"Get up, herbivore." He ordered and she followed, except only falling backwards as she tried to straighten herself up.

He glares at her mutely as she winces and tries to get up again, "I think I twisted my ankle…" she whispers and tries to stand up again—only to fall on Hibari.

'Jeez… it's like slamming against a bullet train…' she thinks to herself disappointingly on impact and blushes, what is she thinking? Before she can pull away, the skylark grabs a hold of her shoulders and sits against a tree trunk, dragging her with him.

"w-what-" he places a hand over her mouth and silently hushes her as a pair of voices passes them.

"Hey… did you hear that?"It sounds just like her classmate Kinra and Erika rules that she was on a date with her new boy-victim. For some reason she anticipated the sound of the second voice despite the fact she should've been more worried of being found.

She could feel Hibari's grip slightly tighten as the second person replied; "hear what, babe?"

"Hmmm…. It's probably a squirrel, Seto-chan."

Erika's heart dropped.

Seto-chan? Seto? Why the hell was Kinra with Seto?

"Hmmm… Kinra-chan?"

"What is it, Seto-chan?"

Erika started to squirm uncontrollably as she heard the muffled sound of kissing. What were they doing? She wanted to know so badly. What was Seto doing?

But despite all her squirming, Hibari still held her in place and silent. She knew he stiffened when they started kissing but said nothing as he slid an arm over her hands to stop her from moving. Erika only grew more violent.

When the moans grew louder and tears started to fall down th4e choir prefect's eyes, a loud grim voice (finally) cried out,

"Hey! Public displays of affection are prohibited!" it was Kusakabe.

Hibari relaxed a bit but his hands still held Erika from thrashing or making a sound.

Erika heard a giggle and a murmur and then Kinra and Seto took off with Kusakabe following close after them. Too bad for her she caught the murmur loud and clear and when Hibari finally let go, she began to sob.

"That… that cheater!" she cried as she pulled away from the prefect.

The two stayed like that for the next few minutes; Erika crying her heart out and Hibari offering little to no support for her.

"Are you done, herbivore?" he asked after Erika fell silent.

"Why didn't you do anything?"

"What would you have done?"

Erika fell silent.

What would she have done had Hibari not stopped her? Talk it out? Start a fight? Erika held the wimpiest punch ever; even No Good Tsuna could beat her in a fist fight.

Suddenly Hibari shot up from his spot, grabbed her purse and started to walk away.

"W-wait! Hibari, where are you going?" she cried after him and tried to get up once again, but only to fall back down.

She didn't hit the ground though—instead a strong hand caught her by the arm and threw her onto his shoulder like a potato sack.

Erika has never shouted louder in her fifteen year old life.

"Hii—Bari! Put me down! I'm wearing a stupid dress! Aaah! Hiiibarrriii!" she was screaming and only got a pat on the small of her back in response.

She started to kick and punch and even though she was physically wimpy, she never met anyone who could withstand more pain than Hibari Kyoya.

"Aaaarghh!" she was screaming as she dug her knee deeper into Hibari's stomach, "why won't you die!"

Hibari only muttered something along the lines of 'close your legs, you indecent herbivore' and Erika immediately stopped and shut up.

A little while later they arrived and Hibari struggled with the keys he found buried deep in the girl's purse. When they were inside and the door was closed, Hibari dumped Erika onto the ground and threw off her high heels, revealing her badly bruised and swollen feet. Erika was amazed that she didn't stain her new high heels.

"They were too small for you." He observed as he gently turned her foot this way and that when she didn't reply, he continued "why did you wear them when you knew they were too small?"

Erika chose not to answer again and Hibari sighed in aggravation, "where's the first aid kit?"

"Kitchen. Top cabinet…" she stubbornly replies and Hibari briskly walked past her. She frowned when she realized she had to follow him.

And in order to follow him, she had to crawl.

In a dress.

It was nerve raking.

She is never going to do that again… she thought to herself as she pulled herself onto the couch in her living room and Hibari showed up with the first aid kit. He set it down onto the coffee table in front of her and started dabbing antiseptic on her feet. Erika opted to play with Hibari's hair but after he swatted her hand away the first time, she got the message and stared at the clock.

Erika was glad that her parents weren't coming home till late night.

When Hibari was finished bandaging up her foot, the two stared at each other in silence before Hibari got up to leave.

Without thinking, Erika quickly blurted, "Would you to stat for dinner, Hibari?"

"I need to patrol, herbivore." He replied and glanced at the clock, "I'll come back."

Erika smiled and nodded as Hibari left

"Thank you…" she muttered when she heard the door close.

The next day; even after having dinner with Hibari, nothing made Erika happier than hearing that Seto had been emitted to the hospital and was going through various painful facial surgeries.

He deserved it.

_**... Age 16 …**_

It's been a while since Hibari last came to school Erika observed as she laid her head on Hibari's stomach as he napped on the roof. Somewhere above them Hibari's new pet bird flew around singing the Namimori anthem.

He never told her why he was always missing though, he would just pull her out of class and the two would just quietly enjoy each other's companies on the roof until the lunch or after school bell rang. It was pleasant, but something was bothering her lately.

"Hibari?"

"Hm?"

"How did you get Hibird?" of course she wasn't that entirely sure if Hibird was his pet's name, she just overheard no good Tsuna referring to his pet as Hibird and the name just... stuck.

Speaking of no good Tsuna and hi little groupie—Hibari seemed to be 'hanging out' with them a lot. If having been seen with a lot meant hanging out anyways…

"Found him." Came his blunt and straightforward answer. Erika giggled.

"Well obviously you found him." She smiled as she watched Hibird land onto Hibari's hair, "he's so cute!"

He didn't say anything as Hibird started to chirp Hibari's name over and over again.

"How did you teach him to talk?" she asked as Hibird continued to jump around on his head,

Hibari shrugged, "just did."

Erika laughed and lifted a finger so Hibird could jump onto it. He did and Erika got up from Hibari's stomach.

"Hibari. Hibari." It chirped as it looked at her with its cute beady eyes.

"Hello, Hibird." She started, "what's my name?"

"Kobari. Kobari." It chirped in response and she let out a hearty giggle.

"Noo… its Ko-to-ri."

"Hitori. Hitori." It chirped cutely.

"That could be your new name, herbivore."Hibari joked and smirked. Erika rolled her eyes.

"Oh be quiet, Hi—kuuu!"

Hibari raised an eyebrow at her.

"My name isn't Hiku, herbivore."

"I know that, I just have a sudden case of the hi-Cups." She replied jumping lightly when she hiccupped again.

The prefect just grumbled and went back to sleep only to be awaken by Erika who was poking him cautiously.

"Hey… Hi-HIC-barii… can you help me get rid of my HIC-cups?"

Hibari sighed and whipped out his tonfas, "prepare to be bitten to death for disrupting my sleep."

Erika jumps a bit before he clocks her with his tonfa. A minute later she's still hiccupping, "nope, I was so totally expecting that. But you didn't need to hit me though. Oh hey, you still have to tell me where on your person you keep your weapons!"

Half an hour later and an unexpected move to the Reception Room, Erika is still hiccupping and Hibari still has yet to do his prefect duties.

After more than 101 ways of trying to rid the girl of her hiccups, the two finally give up. A miserable (and hiccupping) Erika slouches on the couch while Hibari finishes up his paper work.

Jokingly, Erika turns to Hibird, who was resting on Hibari's shoulder and asks,

"Hey… Hibird. Do you know how to get rid of hiccups?"

Hibird jumps from Hibari's shoulder and curiously looks at Hibari to Erika and chirps before flying out the window,

"Hibari likes Kotori, Hibari likes Kotori."

Erika's eyes grow as wide as china plates as she stares at Hibari who is noticeable writing or scribbling a bit faster, a light pink coloring his cheeks. She probably looks like a strawberry herself.

Erika stops hiccupping but they both don't notice a pair of babyish eyes observing them from across the school, as they were too busy blushing and cursing their lives.

"Interesting…"

**_… Age 16…_**

**Mafia**

Erika is ecstatic about the new recording equipment the school received from a mysterious donator that it takes a very pissed off Hibari to drag her home after school.

Lately she has been writing a song where all her choir members would have a part to sing in. she was extremely happy but not so when the choir members told her that she needs to be in it too.

It takes a few weeks of convincing but finally she gives in and makes up a verse for her to sing.

"Oh my gosh, that was so good, Eri-chan!" her best friend squealed as she turned off the recording equipment.

"Wait right there, I'm going to get everyone else to hear it!"

She curses as her best friend jolts out the door in a series of giggles and evil laughter. Erika chases after her but gives up after she round a corner, figuring Hibari's goons would get her anyways. She walks back to the recording room and grabs a bottle of water.

"I like your voice, Kotori Erika."

Erika lets out a loud yelp as she whips around to see who said that. Her eyes land on a small baby in a suit and fedora.

"Why, thank you… uh…"

"Reborn."

Erika smiles.

"Why thank you, reborn! I-" she stops herself when she realizes something, "oh hey, you're the baby that Kyoya always want to fight all the time!"

"You know, Hibari?" the baby asks, a small smirk forming on his lips.

"Yeah… we're kinda…" she mutters the last word and turns bright red and turns away. Reborn got the message perfectly.

"Ahhh... I see." He's trying his best not to smirk as he watches Erika shuffle around and stack several sheets of paper on top of one another.

Erika pauses in her shuffling and turns to reborn curiously,

"Hey, reborn…?"

"What is it?"

Erika hesitates before asking, "Umm… I… uh… do you know why Kyoya has been going to the hospital a lot lately?"

After a little moment of silence, Erika starts mentally screaming at herself. What the heck was she thinking? Why would reborn even know why Hibari was coming back home with torn ligaments and the sort? It could've easily been another gang fight—one of the many things she constantly worries about. But then again she wonders why Hibari always complains about wanting to fight a baby. Maybe HE'S the one that's crazy.

Reborn finally let's himself smirk coolly as he watches the faraway look on Erika's worries face.

"He hasn't told you."

Erika shakes her head, "I respect his privacy."

It was a code between them after all, if something happened, they had a choice to tell or hide it. There was never any questions for these kinds of scenarios (though sometimes Hibari would just force it out her anyways) and they let each other have the freedom of the doubt.

Erika isn't even afraid as the green lizard on Reborn's shoulder shape shifts into a revolver. Somehow she was half expecting it—there had to be a reason Hibari was always complaining about fighting reborn after all. Hibari wasn't crazy (even though sometimes she thought otherwise).

"What I am going to tell you is strictly confidential information—dare to tell another individual and I will shoot you. Am I clear?" he points the revolver at her, his tone dangerously serious and deadly—Erika still does not waver however having gotten used to the many kidnapping situations she found herself in this past year. She nods and reborn signals her to sit down.

She quickly grabs a stool and Reborn's revolver changes back into a lizard.

"Now is the time to turn back." He says and Erika only shakes her head.

She knows fully of the coincidences she'll face in the future because of this decision but right not she just wants to know what Hibari hides despite their unsaid code.

"Hibari Kyoya, as of last year, is part of the mafia."

She lets it sink in. she's surprised at first—she would think he was part of some juvenile police squad but then again that would've been the Disciplinary Committee wouldn't it? Thinking on it, it (sort of) made sense that Hibari was in such a dangerous society; he was, after all, always… ALWAYS thirsting for a fight.

A memory of the time he let her play with his purple ring comes to mind. The words embedded onto the ring seemed to be really important, she had thought back then. She was starting to piece together the imaginary puzzle she had made herself.

"The… uh…. Vongola, right?" she whispers quietly and reborn only nods.

"Correct. I am a hitman ordered to tutor the tenth boss of the Vongola family."

"And the Tenth boss or… boss in training is No Good Tsuna?" well no wonder that silver haired dude—Gokudera always followed him around like a lost puppy screaming _Tenth! Tenth!_

"That would also be correct, Kotori-san."

Well maybe he wasn't no good after all.

Erika nodded and slumped in her seat, massaging her head. Was that what really was going on? They were all part of the mafia? She sighed and tried to get her facts straight.

"What exactly is the Vongola… family?" she asked after she cleared her head. The question was killing her.

"The Vongola Famiglia is the most powerful mafia family in all of Italy. The tenth generation boss is as you know Tsuna as he is descended from Vongola Primo—the first boss of the Vongola."

"And Kyoya…?"

"He is Tsuna's Cloud Guardian—making him part of the Vongola family."

Erika shrinks back into her seat in relief. She didn't even bother asking what the heck a Cloud Guardian was, she was just glad that she knew what he was up to lately.

Reborn is somewhat amazed at how calm and relaxed Erika is upon receiving life threatening information.

"So what are you going to do?"

"What I've been doing all along. Stay by Kyoya's side." She smiles and reborn frowns slightly, "you're hiding something."

The sun acrobaleno lets out a quiet chuckle, "you have a keen eye. How about joining CEDEF?"

Erika doesn't say anything and stares blankly at reborn. "That isn't it either."

She doesn't say anything on the fact that she had absolutely no idea about what CEDEF was.

"No, it isn't even close." He smirks, "I want you to stay as far away from Hibari Kyoya as possible."

This shocks Erika. It really does. She can already imagine the many weird faces she's making at the moment, "hah…. You're kidding aren't you? This is all a crude joke and…" she takes a long look on Reborn's straight and serious face,

"You're not kidding." She frowns.

"Lately, Hibari's fighting abilities are less than satisfactory and I suspect this is because of your interference, Kotori Erika. You are causing Hibari Kyoya to lose the will to fight. And during this course of time, the Vongola is of great need of the strongest guardian's strength."

That hurt. It hurt deep. She didn't even know what to say! She just stared shell-shocked at reborn with a fish face.

"I-I… b-but… I! Uh…" she tried to think of the words to say in her defense but couldn't even think up a proper sentence.

_This was real life, Erika._ She thought to herself. _Kyoya could easily get any girl he wants, why can't you just say OK and leave like nothing happened. Stupid._

"However." Reborn started and Erika stared back at him with teary eyes, "I will not allow your talents go to waste. Join CEDEF, Kotori Erika, you'll be a wonderful addition to the tenth generation Famiglia."

Erika didn't say anything; she just stared at her closed fist. Silently digging her nails into her skin. A million thoughts raced through her mind, a scowl appearing on her face. She knew that she was already in danger now that she knew about the Vongola and she couldn't just walk away (something told her that reborn wouldn't let her anyways). But she wasn't keen on joining CEDEF and leaving Kyoya's side was already out of her selfish questions. But then again… reborn would probably shoot her if she said shell like to stay in Kyoya's life. And even to herself… no matter how many times she thought about it, it sounded so unbelievably disgusting that she'll rather stay happy clinging to Kyoya while he was probably depressed about his current fighting state. That she'll rather choose him over a whole nation of Mafioso who'll probably kill her without a second thought. But what about Kyoya? To hell with her selfish wishes, Kyoya probably would want her out of his life and he realized what she was possibly doing to him…

Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at the recording equipment Namimori Middle had mysteriously received. Reborn caught her glance and smirked.

"The Vongola would sponsor you; have you choose not to join CEDEF. You wish to become a singer, songwriter right?" Erika frowned and nodded reluctantly, wondering how in the heck he knew something like that.

"We can send you to a vocal trainer in Italy courtesy of the Ninth."

This shocked Erika a bit. Italy? The ninth? Did that mean…

"So it's not you telling-"

"That's ordering you to stay away from Hibari. It's the Ninth just passing on the message and giving you your options."

How the heck did the ninth boss of a really big mafia family had the time to find out about the affairs of his successor's 'guardians', she'll never know but she could tell that the choices were more or less willing to make a really selfish decision.

"So whatever I choose, I still have to move to Italy nonetheless?"

"Correct."

"I… won't leave Kyoya." Erika said stubbornly, but she still couldn't feel like she was doing the right thing.

"You have three weeks to make your decision, Kotori Erika." Reborn said, ignoring her stubbornness. "Any longer and I will not guarantee your life."

Erika didn't say anything as reborn leaped off his toll and out the door. Back then, had she not be threatened to death she would've laughed it off and tell the baby that obviously shell never ditch her boyfriend. But this was different and at age sixteen, Erika had never been more lost of an answer ever. Not even her math homework stumped her that much.

She got her answer, however, the week following her little talk with the baby Mafioso when a foreign man appeared at her doorstep telling her Kyoya was going to go through numerous surgeries because he got into a painful little 'accident'.

She found reborn the next day in the recording room sipping a cup of coffee.

"I'm going… the vocal trainer…" she muttered, her words just flowed out randomly from her lips, never have she felt so heartless. "How long is it?"

Reborn looked at her and smirked his all knowing smirk,

"Four years."

**_… Age 16…_**

**Angry Trainweck**

In all the years that she knew him, Erika knew that Hibari tended to fight better when he was pissed off. So in the remaining days she had left in Namimori, Erika tried her best to make the violent prefect hate her guts. Who knew that Hibari had so much patience for his bratty little girlfriend?

"Hiibarriii~ I wore pants instead of a skirt all last week."

"Hey, Kyoya. I skipped school yesterday. I went shopping with your debit."

"Kyoya, I wrote on the walls with permanent marker in the morning."

"Heeeyy! I just knocked over a plant."

She would say and do all sorts of stuff that would normally annoy him and drive him made but all she ever got was a glare and a warning. Who knew Hibari was so mellow! It kind of pissed her off.

Once she went up to him and kicked him in the shin in the hallway. The only thing he did was bonk her on the head quite harshly with his tonfa and walked away. He still pulled her out of class to hang out. She tried refusing to go with him once—yeah… it didn't go as well as she planned. That sorry attempt ended with her being slung over his shoulder and a terrifying experience of being dropped off the roof of the school.

So on the day Erika had to leave, she did the only thing she could do… confront him. Which really wasn't a good idea to start with. ARGH! Why couldn't she just be a big slut and kiss everyone in the Disciplinary Committee or something? That would've been easier! She wasn't going to live in Namimori in the next four years anyways—actually that thought was repulsing and she struggled to get the mental image of her kissing Kusakabe out of her head as she excused herself from class.

When she got into the Reception room, she was greeted by the sight of Hibari and Kusakabe. She shivered. Don't look at him. Don't look at him. Don't look at him… don't LOOK at him!

"Kyoya. We got to talk." She said slowly, trying to calm herself down. Fuck my life…

Her prefect boyfriend just nodded and dismissed Kusakabe. She almost jumped out of her skin when Kusakabe hand brushed past her own when he was leaving. _Oh my gosh, please don't tell me I'm going to crush on Spring Roll head next!_

"What do you want, Kotori?" he asked once the door closed behind Kusakabe.

Erika almost died under his stare; suddenly contemplating proper sentence structure was a lot harder than it used to be.

"I… I'm breaking up with you."

"Is that all, herbivore?"

Now that hurt, it hurt more than reborn telling her to leave him. There was no hesitation in his voice, no pause before he answered—he was dead serious and before Erika could think of what she was doing, she slapped him. Hard. Right across the face.

Now to tell you the truth; Erika had no physical strength but occasionally when she was extremely angry, she'll snap and tap into her inner super saiyan. This for example was one of those times.

One second she was having a nice exchange of words with Hibari and the next, she's staring at the red slap mark she created, screaming

"Why won't you fucking care? Aren't you at least going to ask why? Don't you at least feel a tiny bit sad? Why I have to like a freak like you? I'm leaving!"

Then she stomped out the Reception Room, brushing past Kusakabe and ran out the gates not bothering to take her bags. She would later hear the chaos hr words triggered but her angry thoughts kept her well occupied.

Damn Hibari. Damn him and his hot way of not giving a freaking damn. Damn reborn! ARGHHH

By the time she finished stuffing all remnants of her closet into her abnormally huge suitcase, it was near the end of school and almost time for her to board the train to go to the next town over where the international airport was to fly to Italy, using the tickets reborn had given her.

She was now sitting on the foot of her bed, her back facing away from the window and a pretty little scrapbook laying on her lap. In it were pictures of Erika, Hibari and Kusakabe when they were about 6 years old.

Erika laughed at the thought that Kusakabe didn't have that spring roll hair when he was little and that he used to be Hibari's rival. Oh the irony!

Flipping through the pictures, she stumbled across one picture in particular that made her cry.

It was of her, Kusakabe and Hibari dripping wet with a tank and a paper boat in the background.

_The boat ended up sinking the next day… _she thought to herself sadly.

She checked her watch quickly before wiping her teary eyes before deciding that now was a good time to leave. Dragging her luggage out the door behind her and locking it, she quickly made her way to the train station. She looked at Hibari's house sadly before turning the corner. (Not before throwing a rock at his bedroom window of course)

She was careful not to let anyone recognize her—borrowing her mother's old sweater and a pair of her dads sunglasses and an old pair of worn out sneakers (which she never would have worn if the situation was different)—she looked more like a hobo waving her arms in the air rather than a normal freshmen girl calling a cab. That was probably why no one stopped for her… hopefully she didn't in trouble with the Discipline Committee for being suspicious or something.

Speaking of the Disciplinary Committee, Erika made it a point to bee-line away from the prefect's new found groupie—namely Tsuna and reborn. They—or at least Tsuna tried to stop her once but she just brushed off and (almost) ran off.

By the time she made it to the train station, she was tired and sweaty beyond belief. The girl felt like she just ran a marathon—running away from Tsuna's group and the Disciplinary Committee (who were for whatever reason looking for her) before finally losing them and heading for the safety of the train station. Strangely enough, there was visibly no one at the station—which kind of freaked her out considering it was almost time to board the train.

So she stood there, all alone with the cool evening breeze whispering against her skin (she had shed her sweater earlier and withdrew it into the big ugly duffel bag that was slung over her shoulder). She stood there with a duffel bag and big humongous suitcase (that she would occasionally sit on) alone at a train station with not even a slightest worry of being mugged.

Of course she did jump when she heard someone approach her from behind. She whipped around just as a tonfa launched itself into the air her head last occupied.

"Herbivore, where do you think you're going?"

Erika just frowned and shifted the duffel bag on her shoulder. "Friend's." was her one word reply. She was still a bit pissed at the prefect.

Whatever he said next was silenced by the loud arrival of the train, not that she cared though—she didn't dare look or listen to Hibari. She was still nonetheless trying to get him to hate her anyways even though she was five steps away from where she would be departing from Namimori for the next four years.

Kay maybe she should've just grabbed Kusakabe when she had the chance…

Choosing to ignore Hibari, Erika quickly picked up all her stuff and was about to go into the train when she felt a yank on her arm and she was pulled back stiffly.

"Illusion." Grunted Hibari as her vision dizzily flashed and all of a sudden a dozen people were standing around them. She could've sworn she seen a purple flame ignite on Hibari's Vongola ring before she was forced to look at her ex's face.

Erika didn't stare—she didn't like staring at people, so when Hibari yanked on her chin, she stubbornly pushed him away and distanced herself from him. But there was something she already knew without staring at the raven haired skylark.

One, he was extremely winded and possibly a slight bit angry (he might not have shown in but it was all in his posture). Two, he was slightly paranoid. Three, there was something that was bothering him and four, he was talking to her.

"….. Don't go …" was the only words Erika caught and even that caught her off guard.

"h-huh?"

"Don't go." Hibari replied timidly, fingering with Erika's chin and trying to make her look at him. "The baby told me about your decision. Don't go."

_The baby? W- Oh… reborn…_

"b-but I—"

"I don't need your help." He then said and everything flashed again, the rings flamed dying and only the two students alone in the train station.

Erika felt her anger rise as Hibari continued to talk—but she was no longer listening. The screams, cried and anguish happening inside her head were all too loud for her to pay heed to her surroundings.

How dare he say that! She was thinking why does he have to be so difficult? For me? For his 'family'?

"…. Ill bite you to death…." She snapped and full on glared at Hibari.

In all honestly, she was pleased with what she saw.

The prefect looked dead tired, his bloodshot eyes glared back at her, small scratches and fresh wounds decorated his face and the girl had spotted a random branch sticking out of his hair.

There was a small smirk that played Erika's face—a strong addicting urge surged through her. She wanted to ruin him... ruin him so badly.

Screw the mafia. Screw the famous vocal trainer. Screw reborn. This was between her and Hibari now.

"I don't even like you." She blurted as she shoved Hibari's hand away.

"Who would anyway? You're so snotty. You think everyone has to do things your way—like you're better than everyone else. You always have your little Elvis goons do your dirty work too—'what? He woke you up? Don't worry Hibari-sama we'll beat him up for you.' You're such a brat. That's probably why your mom left you because you always expected her to clean up every little shit you caused. Do you even freaking have a single idea why your mom always came over at night? She was crying. Every fucking nigh and it was because of you." Erika shouted, not even caring about Hibari's feelings anymore. Screw him! If she ruined him then hurray! Let him believe all the lies that came from her mouth.

She wasn't even aware of the other people until one of them started laughing—or giggling or whatever the weird noise was. Her head snapped towards that direction and without a second though, dropped her bags and ran over to the creepy smiling blond dude who was laughing. As if reading her mind, the dude snaked his arms around her waist and she let herself be kissed.

The kiss was short but she knew it was enough to piss Hibari off, turning to the prefect, she let another smirk grace her lips as she said,

"You're my first and worst mistake ever, Hibari Kyoya."

Then she let herself be dragged inside the train as the dude's friend went to grab her luggage.

She never looked out the window when the train conductor announced that the train would be leaving.

The next week, Hibari received a mysterious post card with the words 'but I still love you; even after the boat sank.' Handwritten on it.

A small droplet of water fell as he flipped the postcard over to reveal the face of an equally sad girl. The caption read:

Don't cry, baby.

**_… Age 20 …_**

Erika stared at the girl staring back at her in the glass she had her long black hair tied in a bun on the back of her head with random strands protruding out of it, her face was adorned with scars and she just noticed that she was starting to get bags under her eyes.

If anything, as Erika realized as Lussuria made her try on the new Varia jacket, she looked like Xanxus' long lost sister. Oh the _joy_.

"Wow! Eri-chan, you look so… oh my, we HAVE to take a picture! Camera… camera…" Lussuria was squealing beside her. Erika just smile at the older man's antics and twirled around.

"Hey, Lussuria? Do I HAVE to wear pants?" she asked as Lussuria took the picture, temporary blinding Erika.

"Oh my, Eri-chan, you're going to get killed on your first mission if you don't keep your guard up…" he frowned lowering the camera; the girl opted to snap at him but changed her mind and just sighed.

"Right… right…" she let out a big smile as he snapped another picture. "Satisfied now?"

"Oh, Eri-chan, you look like boss' little sister." The sun officer frowned and put down the camera, shoving another jacket into her arms and stuffing her inside her closet, "now we don't want people thinking boss had an illegitimate daughter now do we? Go change into something better!"

Erika wanted to smack her head "he's only like… 8 years older than me! Who in their right mind have a kid when they're 8?"

"Change!"

A few minutes later, she emerged from her closet wearing a random t-shirt and a short brown skirt under the long Varia jacket. Lussuria looked at her and nodded his approval,

"It's nice but the skirt…"

Erika laughed, "Relax! I'm wearing trainer shorts!" she lifted her skirt a bit to reveal a tight pair of black shorts and a black gun holster camouflaged into it, "see?"

"That's good, we wouldn't want to let our precious little cloud fall into the clutches of bad men, no?" the two started to laugh full heartedly.

It's been a total of four lonely years since Erika left Namimori. The time when she first arrived at Italy seemed like a blur and now 20 year old Erika stood next to one of the mafia's most feared assassin, laughing without a care in the world. She hardly believed that she was just sixteen when she first met this man—it felt like a lifetime!

Their laughter was short-lived when Squalo stormed into the room,

"Would you two dumbfucks shut the-" he stopped and observed Erika. "Vooii! Where the fuck are the pants?"

"Stop looking at my legs, you damn pervert!" she screamed back and was pretty satisfied when the swordsman turned red.

"You're going to fucking freeze in the winter, damn twit!"

"well, it's a good thing they invented something called _stockings_, no?" she rolled her eyes and followed him out the door after he thrusts a pair of knee high boots at her muttering something about a present or whatever. Squalo was weird.

Even after years of living together with six sadistic lunatic crazy messed up men (well Bel and Fran didn't count since they were around her age but they were still messed nonetheless), she still couldn't feel more awkward when they had to all squish into a limo and she was tossed onto Bel's lap since she wasn't allowed a seat of her own because of her size (and the fact Lussuria was secretly scared that Levi might toss her out the window). It didn't help that Bel wouldn't stop teasing her about that _one time_.

But luckily for her, since Bel and Levi were away on a mission, she was granted a seat all for herself—right next to Fran and directly in front of Squalo and Xanxus. Lussuria was seated in the shotgun because he had to give directions but he would've gratefully given the seat to Erika had Xanxus ordered him not to show pity to the 'newbie'.

The two hour car rise wasn't as awkward like always (thank god)—instead it was rather fun; with Fran's random comments about the obscenity of Squalo's hair and his sexual orientation, Xanxus' good mood and Squalo's flustered protests. By the time they finally arrived at the Vongola mansion, there were practically three bullet holes in the roof of the limousine (Xanxus' moods never last long). Erika had cramps when she stepped out of the limo from the laughing fit she had an hour ago. She followed Xanxus and Squalo as they strolled down the halls of the mansion, balancing between a normal conversation with Lussuria and a somewhat funny argument with Fran.

The Varia made their grand entrance when Xanxus shot down one door and Squalo kicked down another, cussing like there was no tomorrow.

Behind Xanxus' back, Erika could see the tenth guardians form a protective circle around Decimo and when the smoke from Xanxus' gun had created cleared, they still showed no sign of backing down. So being Erika, she observed all of them—Gokudera looked like he had just gotten over a hangover. Yamamoto had a mustache starting to form on his upper lip, chrome had bags bigger than her own and Hibari—

"Hibari…." Her eyes widen, stepping around Squalo to get a better look. He seemed surprised to see her too, quickly withdrawing his tonfas and taking a step forward.

Hibari really hadn't changed in four years, his hair had gotten a tad bit messier, he was taller and his face—oh gosh, his face…

His face was that of a man who won many… **many** battles. Yet his eyes still held the same gently light in them just like she always struggled to remember in this four years.

She started to run.

Ignoring Squalo's colorful orders for her to get back.

She just ran.

Into Hibari's open arms.

"I'm so so so sorry! I didn't mean it all those years ago! I... I…" she was sobbing when her words failed to show how lonely she was in the four years she spent with Varia. How guilty and horrible she felt in those years. She started to cry harder when Hibari petted her head lightly.

"I still love you." She blurted after she calmed herself, pushing herself away from him. "And I take back everything I said back then—I'm so so so so sorr-"

"I know you are." He interrupted her coolly and she felt a pair of lips brush against her own.

She smiled to herself as she kissed him back.

"I missed you…" she whispered.

"I did too."

* * *

"_Kyoya! Kyoya!" little Erika cried out distressfully as she entered the kindergarten the next day. The said boy looked up from his corner, hugging his stuffy closer._

"_What?"_

"_Look!" she said with a huge grin on her face._

_Kyoya tried to hide his own when he laid eyes on the rainbow of colors that decorated the top of the empty fish tank and the soggy paper boat that lay dead on the bottom._

"_I wonder who made them!"_

_The boy had to bite his tongue to keep the sides of his face from rising as he went back to his book._

* * *

**Therefore, you can infer that young Kotori made some pretty crappy origami.**

**I bet half of you just turned away after reaching the middle. Yeah it was horrible. I'm sorry. It was horrible and sappy and I don't know why I published it. SHAME ON ME!**

**At least review for poor little depressed me?**

**EDIT (12.22.10)::: You know what I just realized? I made TWELVE YEAR OLD Hibari DRIVE A FREAKING MOTORCYCLE! ARRGHHHH -shot for my stupidity- That isn't right! -cries-**


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